Outlet



Patented Juifs, 1940 l f ,2,206,995 I UNITED STATES PATENT roi-Fica OUTLET Carlyle M. Ashley, Syracuse, N. Y., assigner, .by mesne assignments, to Carrier Corporation, Newark, N. J., a corporation of Delaware Application February 14, 1935, Serial No. 6,495

i Renewed December 23, A1938 comme (ci. iis- 40) This invention relates to an improved method tribute air free from drafts or streaks and pro and means for introducingv air into an enclosure. vide equable atmospheric conditions throughout In theart of-air conditioning an enclosure, it is the enclosure. g-

LA general practice to locate the refrigerating and Another object of the invention is to provide an conditioning apparatus at some point remote outlet capable of handling air at a very high .6- from the enclosure to be conditioned, as in the velocity without making an appreciable amount cellar or attic of the building. Fresh air or a of noise. mixture of fresh and return air is there eoridi-A -A feature of the invention resides `in passing tioned,4 and then distributed, bvmeans of suitable.' 7air :through a rst set of vanes and then through in fans and duct work, to the Lvarious points. at -a'second set of vanes proximate the first set. 10

which it is to be introduced into the. enclosure. Another feature of the invention lies in con- It is important that the air should be discharged trolling the direction, concentration and, velocity into the enclosure at a proper velocity, vin the of an air stream in a plurality of horizontal desired directions, and adequately distributed.l planes and then in a plurality of vertical planet-A lli Such distribution and circulation should notv lOther objects end features 0f the invention will u subject persons in the enclosure to drafts or, apparent from the following deSei'lDiiiOn. t0

streaks of col'd air. Further, the air striking 4be read in connection with tlielaccompanying them should not have, too high a velocity, and drawing. in which: yet, should have suiiicient air movement to iin`-l Fig. 1 isefremeteiy perspective view, partly part a pleasant sensation to occupants of the in section, of one embodiment ofthe invention; 90 conditioned area. Generally, it is desirable that Fig. 2 isa fragmentary Side elevational View 0f persons in all parts of the enclosure should ven'- the embodiment of Fig. 1, showing the front J'oy substantially .the same atmospheric condivanes andadiusting means therefor: A tions. r -f Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the" As will ybe understood, each enclosure presents Y" line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and y .y

anA individual problem of air distribution. Its Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illussize and shape, the height and contour of its ceiltrating means `for individually adjusting the ing, the number and location of seats within the vanes. i enclosure, and the direction in which they face, s Referring to the drawing, the numeral 5 desig- 'ao the location of beams or xtures, or of other iinnates the outlet casing. The flange 8 is provided $0- pediments to circulation-all constitute factors Jwith suitablemeans, openings 1, adapted to rieaffecting air distribution `in the enclosure. Notceive mounting screws'or the likepfor mounting withstanding the experience of many persons vthe outlet in an -air supply duct. Within the skilled in the art, it is virtually impossible, gencasing are positioned two rows of vanes, extenderally, to design air distribution syst/ems which ing across the air passage provided by the cas- 35 do not require at least some adjustment at the ing. In the embodiment of the invention illusi time of or subsequent to installation, in order to trated,'in Figs. l1-3, the varies 8; comprising the provide satisfactory air distribution. Further-` vrow nearest the front of the outlet, are adapted more, circulation requirements may vary, due to to rotate 'about horizontal aires. The `vanes 9,

' 40 structural changes' orvari'ations in loadv condicomprising the row at the rear of the outlet, are 40 v -tions within the enclosure, and such consideraadapted to rotate about vertical axes. tions necessitate adjustment of the air distrlbut- Pivotsof any suitable type may be provided, ing apparatus. Heretofore., adjustment of such but applicant prefers to utilize as pivots the apparatus has Abeen difficult, expensive and gentongues i0, punched out o5 the casing plates, the

erally unsatisfactory. l tongues l0 being received within cavities Il 43 It is the object of the invention to. provide an formed in the edges f the vanes; As illustrated, improved method and means of introducing ai vanes 8 rotate about pivtsmositioned near the into an enclosure. `front of the outlet. The vanes 9 rotate about l It is another object of the invention to provide pivots at the rear of the outlet. The free/ends- '50 a method of controlling the character, direction of vanes. 9 may e d beyond thecasing into the 5o andvelocity of air streams discharged into an supply duct fr'a urpose hereinafter to be made enclosure. clear. i Y

A further object of the invention is to provide v As above set forth, the vanes are made adjustmeans for introducing air into an enclosure, able in order that the character, direction and which may be readily and easily adjusted to dis- 1 velocity of air discharge may be `Jcontrolled in 55 overcome the friction atthe pivots.

ris

leaving the outlet to converge to form a concen.

trated stream, flattened out and capable of providing a blow of the requisite length. In some installations, it may be desirable to locate the outlet at a fairly low level in the enclosure, in which case the front vanes would be adjusted to direct the air at an upward angle. The air would then describe a trajectory and would not enter into the zone of occupancy as/ quickly as though it were discharged horizontally into the enclosure. On the other hand, it might be desirable to discharge directly into the zone of occupancy, as in the case of relief cooling, and in such event, the vanes 8 would be adjusted accordingly. Again, ceiling beams, lighting flxtur and other impediments to the free circulation oi.' y

air throughout the enclosure; may be avoided by suitable adjustment of the outlet vanes.

The vanes 8 may-be adjustable individually or in groups.l In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. l-3, the front vanes are'adapted to be adjusted in two groups, since uniform adjustment of the frontv vanes tend' to improve the appearance of the outletI and because such grouping facilitiates adjustment without unduly restricting the flexibility of theoutlet. However, applicant does not limit himself as to this' method of adjustment. As shown, the' side 5a of the casing extends from the front of the outlet to a point between the front and rear of the Vanes'8. Adjustment plates I2 are punched to providetongues I3, similar to tonguesl, and similarly co-acting with cavities I I at the rear of the vanes 8. Plates I2 are -held securely against side 5a of the casing by means -of screws Il and nuts I5. On loosening screw I4, any ,vane or vanes 8 may be suitablypositioned as by means of a screw driver or the like. Plate I2 will move with the vane or vanes adjusted and cause corresponding change in the position of the other vanes 8, rotating about the tongues I0 ofthe casing. 'When the vanes are suitably positioned screws I4 may .be tightened to hold plates I2, andso the vanes, securelywin position. Guide members I6 are provided to hold the nuts I5 in position, in the event screws I4 should be removed. l

'As illustrated, the back vanes aredndividually adjustable permitting a wide variety of arrangement. For instance, it is possible to fan the air out `and keep the stream i shallow, giving `the maximum carryfor low ceiling heights, the

stream being well diffused at lthe lend of the 1 carry. On the other hand,the vanes could be .pointed straight to keep the, stream concentrated, where a high ceiling is available and a long blow is necessary. The stream could be` broken up into elements with spaces between for the recirculation of air. If t outletis applied directly to a trunk duct', the ack vanes -9 act to scoop air therefrom for delivery to the enclosure, straighten and redirect it, without the `necessity for other deilector vanes.

The rear lvanes may be, set in desired positions simplyv and'readily, as by the use of a screw driver or similar tool, inserted between the front vanes. Once set, the rear'vanes remain in 'position, the force of thev air being insumcient to Theyertical vanes control the distribution of air inrhorizontal planes and the horizontal vanes control distribution in vertical planes. Acting cooperatively, these vanes provide for optimum conditions of air distribution-and circulation under a great variety of circumstances. Adjustment of the outlet is simple, quick and effective, so that a relatively unskilled engineer may design a system which, after such adjustmentas may benecessary, Awill function entirely satisfactorily. An installation man may readily make all of his adjustments during a single visit, since he has under his control the character or shape, direction and velocity of the stream from the outlet. j Applicants invention, therefore, not only provides for more satisfactory air distribution than has generally been available heretofore, but it does this at a great saving in time, effort and materials.

In applications where it is desirable individually to adjust the vanes 8, the arrangement of 4 may be utilized. As i11ustrated,each vane 8 is I provided -with an extension tab I1. Screw I8 passes through a suitably threaded opening in vtab I1 andV abutsv against casing plate 5. When the screw is loose th vane may be adjusted as desired. When the screw is tightened against casing plate 5, it securely holds the vane in the position in which it was set. l l

It is to be noted that the vanes are so formed tthat theedges, which provide the cavities I-I, are

, rounded. 'This feature of the design and the general construction of the unit permit ,the handling of air at very high velocities without making an appreciable amount of noise.

. It will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art that many modifications of the invention may be made without departing from the scope and spirit thereof. Applicant does not limit himself tothe particular illustrative embodiments set forth. `I claim:

l. An air discharggoutlet comprising aifoursided casing, a plurality of vanes in said casing extending in vertical direction, a lplurality of vanes in said casing extending in horizontal direction, said horizontal vanes being positioned nearer tothe discharge end of said casingthan said vertical vanes, means including tongues vpunched from the sides of said casing for pivtally mounting said horizontal and said vertical vanes in said casing, a plate adjustably positionedl contiguous the outside of.. one ofthe sides 0f' said casing which is shallower than other of said sides and extending rearwardly of said side,

meansfor pivotally connecting'I said'plate and "said horizontal vanes, `and means for holding 'said plate Iin frictional engagement With said shallow `side of said casing.

2,. An air discharge outlet comprising a 'foursidedcasing, one of the sides of said casing being shallower than other of said sides, a plurality Aof `vanes in said casing extending in vertical di- A rection, a plurality of vanes 'in said casing extending in horizontal direction, said horizontal vanes being positioned nearer to the discharge end of said casing thansaid vertical vanes, means for pivotally mounting said horizontal and said vertical vanes in said casing,a plate adjustably positioned contiguous the outside of said shallow casing side and extending rearwardly of said shallowside, means for pivotally connecting said plate andsaid horizontal vane', and means for holding said plate in frictionalfen'gagement with said shallow side of said casing.

ISIS4 3. An air discharge outlet comprising a casing .i which includes a pair of opposite sides which are asoman l 3 tending rearwardly or said 'easing side te which it is contiguous. means for pivotally connecting said plate and the rearward portion of said horizontal vanes, and means for holding said plate in frictional engagement with said side of the 5 casing to which it is contiguous.

CARLYLE M. ASHLEY. 

